The Roommates From Hell

[beardie13]

This occurred in GA.

I allowed a co-worker and his girlfriend to move in with me... without adding them to the lease or taking over any of the utilities. It was verbally discussed at the office that we agreed to split everything 50-50 though (despite their utility use being greater than mine). I got fired, but my boss agreed to pay my rent and my half of the utilities until the lease was up. He would give his debit card to my former co-worker, with the understanding being that he would withdraw my half of the rent and the utilities. I had left town, and was gone for most of July, August, September, and the half of October the apartment lease was for. When I returned in October to get my stuff and move out, I found that the gas bill had been last paid by me in June. The electric bill had last been paid in August (by my roommate). Still, there are $720 in unpaid utility bills... and as I said, I was not there for most of the time these bills were incurred. I had told my roommate to transfer the utilities to his name, but not being there to check the mail... did not know he had not done so. When I spoke with him, he assured me the bills were being paid. He paid the rent for August and September with his own credit card, showing that he was living at the apartment. Do I have a leg to stand on when it comes to legal recourse? He refuses to take my calls.

Thanks.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

You should have made sure these utilities were transferred. They are your legal obligation.

 

[sandyclaus]

Your recourse is against your former boss, not your roommate. He's the one that agreed to pay those utilities.

 

[beardie13]

Verbal Agreement

Does a Verbal Contract not apply in this case? The whole office heard the agreement spoken of... and another employee went with my roommate to supervise the withdrawal of the rent/utilities money. And the fact that they were taking money off my boss' credit card and not applying it to utilities, stealing from him, and leaving him to think and report to me that the utilities were being paid not mean anything?

 

[Zigner]

Does a Verbal Contract not apply in this case? The whole office heard the agreement spoken of... and another employee went with my roommate to supervise the withdrawal of the rent/utilities money. And the fact that they were taking money off my boss' credit card and not applying it to utilities, stealing from him, and leaving him to think and report to me that the utilities were being paid not mean anything?

To your boss? Sure. To you? Not really.

 

[beardie13]

I'm SOL...

So, what y'all are telling me is that I'm SOL?

 

[opp0628]

I would've made sure everything was in writing and signed and transferred before you left. Your name is on those bills which means your responsible for it all even if they screw you over and not keep up with the bills when you weren't there. You better think of something because they can say something like "oh we'll since that $700+ is in your name your responsible for it...not us" Crazy though, but people will be quick to live with you without having to sign a lease but quicker to screw you over. Good Luck

 

[beardie13]

...two replies...

Zigner, are you saying that my ex-boss would have to press what I would assume would be Theft/Fraud charges for the money that was withdrawn not being used to pay the utilities, or that the agreement to pay the utilities was a verbal agreement between my ex-boss and ex-roommate... thus meaning my ex-boss would have to go to small claims court to get the utility money out of my ex-roommate?


opp0628, would discussions through text messaging/Facebook in which my ex-roommate agreed to/claimed he had paid the utilities be enough to establish a contract? Or would it take an iron-clad legal document? I would assume that my ex-roommate would not be hiring a lawyer as he would be foolish to spend the money on one when his share of the utilities would likely be less than a lawyer. He would also have to travel to ATL from somewhere in VA, find a place to stay, etc. if I were to sue him. I could (hopefully) use my ex-employer's lawyer for free, stay with him for free, and other than the cost of suing my ex-roommate ($50, I believe), incur no costs. Basically, I'm hoping that I have enough of a leg to stand on that the risk of losing the case will cause my ex-roommate to acquiesce and just pay what he owes.

I only had medical debt until this point, and know that my credit could be destroyed by these bills since I have no way to pay them. My roommates wronged me in more ways than just ducking out on the bills... but I would be willing to call it a victory if I could just escape without my credit being damaged too severely.